How important is it for the Lakers to lock in third place in the West? The home field is significantly stronger than the away stadium, and the ultra-high ticket price can also make more money

The Lakers defeated the Rockets 140-109 to become the Pacific Division champion and lock up third place in the West. That means the Lakers have home-court advantage in at least the first round of the playoffs, and how important is that for the Lakers?

What's the difference between the Lakers' home and away games?

This is the first time the Lakers have home-court advantage since the 2011-12 season. Although the Lakers ranked first in the West in the 2019-20 season, there was no home and away game because the playoffs were played in the park.

Let's take a look at the difference between the Lakers' home and away records, this season, the Lakers have played 41 home games, and finally won 31-10, with a winning rate of 75.6%, ranking third in the league's home record, second only to the Thunder and Cavaliers. Except for the last game against the Trail Blazers, the Lakers have only won 19-21 in 40 road games, with a winning rate of 47.5%, ranking 15th in the league on the road.

What is the main reason for such a big difference in results? There are two main areas, defense and free throws.

Looking at the road first, the Lakers' defensive efficiency on the road is only 115.8, ranking 22nd in the league, and only higher than the Mavericks among the top 10 teams in the West. He averaged 7.5 steals and 4.1 blocks per game, both ranking 25th in the league. The Lakers, who play on the road, are a team that has a terrible defense. In addition, the Lakers don't have much of a free throw advantage on the road, averaging only 22.3 free throws per game, tied for 11th in the league.

Looking at the home court, the Lakers' defensive efficiency at home is 111.9, which can rank 10th in the league, and they are averaging 7.9 steals and 4.8 blocks per game, both of which are better than on the road. As for free throws, the difference is even greater, with the Lakers being significantly more able to get the whistle at home, averaging 24.3 free throws per game, which ranks second in the league.

The playoffs emphasize more defense than the regular season, and it is more difficult to score, so it is naturally important for the Lakers to be able to play in a arena with more defensive efficiency and free throws.

Zhan Huang Xiaoli is in better form at home than away

The playoffs are also a stage for stars, and the performance of stars often determines the trend of the series. James, Doncic and Reaves are already seen as the "Lakers' Big Three", with James and Reaves outperforming on the road at home.

In home games, James averaged 25.2 points, 8.2 rebounds and 8.2 assists per game, shooting 53.2% from the field and 43.5% from three-point range. In away games, James averaged 24 points, 7.6 rebounds and 8.3 assists per game, shooting 49.6% from the field and 31.8% from three-point range. The most obvious difference is the two hit percentages, Lao Zhan is much more accurate at home.

Reaves also outperformed at home and away, but the difference was not as pronounced as James. In home games, Reaves averaged 20.5 points, 4.6 rebounds and 5.9 assists per game while shooting 46.7% from the field and 37.6% from three-point range. On the road, Reaves averaged 19.8 points, 4.4 rebounds and 5.7 assists per game while shooting 44.9% from the field and 37.4% from three-point range.

Interestingly, Doncic, unlike most players who are strong at home and away from home, Doncic plays well on the road. In the 12 games he played for the Lakers this season, Doncic averaged 30.6 points, 7.9 rebounds and 6.4 assists per game, shooting 46.3% from the field and 44.5% from three-point range, while in the 15 games he played at the Lakers' home court, Doncic averaged 25.5 points, 8.2 rebounds and 8.5 assists per game, shooting 39.9% from the field and 31.2% from three-point range. Although Doncic is playing well on the road, it is impossible to ignore the difference in winning percentage. The Lakers are 5-7 in the 12 games he plays on the road, and 13-3 in the 16 home games he plays.

Another statistic also shows that the Lakers will be a difficult team to play against in the playoffs. Since Jan. 24, the Lakers have a 17-6 record against teams with a winning percentage of over 50%, a 73.9% winning rate, the best record for the same period, higher than the Warriors (10-4), Thunder (14-6), Cavaliers (11-5) and Pacers (10-6).

Multiple home games to earn an extra buck

From an economic point of view, one more home field also means more money. As for how much more money to make? Take a look at the lowest home ticket prices for the first round of the Lakers playoffs that have been released so far.

Although the opponent and time of the first round have not been determined, the minimum ticket price for the Lakers' four home courts has been released. Home G1 starts at $303, home G2 starts at $263, home G3 starts at $295, and home G4 starts at $368.

Among NBA team owners, Jeanie Buss doesn't have a lot of assets, and selling one more home court ticket can really increase a lot of income.

Finally, congratulations again to the Lakers for becoming the Pacific Division champion this season while locking up third place in the West. In the next game away to the Trail Blazers, the Lakers are expected to rest most of their main team and can rest for a week to prepare for the playoffs.